My 10gal Nano Diary

[parker313]

Yeah, for some sponges, *any* air exposure means certain death. That's one reason they can be tricky.

I don't know about the snail - I often check out www.wetwebmedia.com for help with IDing things. It can be a LOT of pages to sift through, but I've always found what I was looking for.

 

[steelhealr]

fish keeper...don't get mad at me, but, time to invest in a digital camera if you can afford. They are invaluable when starting up a beautiful reef. SH

 

[fish_keeper2]

Thanks parker313. Im not mad at you SH. I know I need a digital camera..........I just need to save some money for it first. I did spend close to $400 setting up this take which was just one paycheck and 1 to 1.5 weeks worth of tips.

 

[fish_keeper2]

Tested water today:
Temp: 80F
SG: 1.0235
PH: 8.1
ALK: "normal"
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
AND crystal clear water

What I dont get is why has the PH droped a bit and on the ALK test it was a bit lower than yesterday. I should buy a seperate and better ALK test becasue this one only has a "low", "normal", and a "high" section.
Also the SG has changed a bit too. I think at first it was because when I first set it up some of the salt was disovled when I tested it because the next day it was 1.026 and I took some water out and replaced it with fresh RO water which brought it down to 1.0225(I forgot to type that in yesterday ) ). I just dont get the .001 difference.

 

[fish_keeper2]

I just got home from work and I noticed that the water in the tank is so crystal clear that its that errie almost too clear type of crystal clear. Ive also noticed a little polyp has show its self. Its red and round and has little tenticels on the edges. Everytime I look at the tank there seems to be a bit more coaline algea growing. I take this as a very good sign, right? Still havent seen the snail....I think its nocternal so its probly in hiding. The feather duster is still alive along with the mystery coral and sponge with I think is actually a coral too.

 

[fish_keeper2]

Tested my water again:
Temp: 80F
SG: 1.024
PH: 8.2
ALK: "normal"
Ammonia: .25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

I really dont get why there hasnt been any change in ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. I still dont get the fluctuations in PH, ALK, and SG. All I can think of is that they are due to minor errors by me......this is the first time ive actually ever used a test kit )

 

[fish_keeper2]

Tested water last night:
Temp: 80F
SG: 1.024
PH: 8.3
ALK: "normal"
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .05
Nitrate: 0


It looks like the bacteria has started to grow to take care of the ammonia. Now I just need to wait for the bacteria to take care of the nitrites . I can wait till nitrites are 0 too......

 

[fish_keeper2]

Tested water today:
Temp: 82F
SG: 1.023
ph: 8.3
alk: "normal"
Ammonia: .25
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 2.5

Yesterday I got a berlin airlift(a skimmer) and becuase of me messing with the water the temp and SG changed a bit. The skimmer and hood wont work together because the skimmer comes up a good 5 or so inches above the top of the tank so i decided to return it.

I did find THIS in one of my lfs so I decided to try it out. I also got a palm light for my filter so I can get a bit of macroalgea to put in it to help control the nitrates.

 

[fish_keeper2]

UH OH! I think I have a bit of cyano growing. im not sure to take this as a good or bad sign................

 

[steelhealr]

Dig cam? SH (I'm dig cam police tonite, LOL)

 

[fish_keeper2]

Sorry no digital camera again ) . It looks like a red slime...which made me think it was cyano but it didnt look like it had spread this morning. Im at school now so I dont know what it looks like now. Ill add morewhen I get home later on.

 

[fish_keeper2]

Tested water this morning:
Temp: 79F......trying to get my heater set correctly again
SG: 1.023
PH: 8.3
ALK "normal"
Ammonia: .25
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 2.5

 

[fish_keeper2]

Last night I took a water sample to one of my lfs that I trust a lot and the owner always carries very healthy animals. Anyway he said my water is perfectly fine so I picked up 1 cleaner shrimp which cost me $33.....it was one of the largest ones he had at the time along with 3 hermits, 2 astraea snails and 2 nassarius snails. I also picked up some empty shells for the hermits, a bit of macroalgea to put in my filter and some plankton for my feather dusters. Every one in the tank is doing well, the feather duster, the polyp(which described to the owner of lfs I went to yesterday said its probly a zoo), and the coral that looks like a red spikey thing which I belive to be this or atleast something similar. The "mystery" snail Im not sure about, I havent seen it in a few days but it was alive last time I saw it.....there are lots of place where it can hide. Oh and there is also a brittle/bristle worm that came in with the macroalgea I picked up.

The owner of the lfs told me that in about 2 weeks or so if my water tests out fine again then it should be safe to add a baby clown fish. I will also get 1 more each of the astraea and nassarius snails when I do.


One quick question: can anyone explain what exactly happens to soft corals if they arent recieving enough light.....this is because the owner of the lfs I went to had some small polyp frags for $5-$15 and I nearly got one.......I had to stay away from that part of the store to keep myself from getting one.

Oh and I wanted to add that he has a big tank(55 gal I belive) that had 2 small anomes(SP) along with a big clown and 5 or so baby ones and the big one kept chasing everything away from the anomes(SP). It was really funny to watch.

 

[fish_keeper2]

God I feel so stupid right now.........


A few hours ago I went to petco......I know not the best place to get fish especial SW. Anyway I have been watching the clowns, clown gobbies, and firefish for a while and these peticular ones have been in there atleast one week. So I got a yellow clown gobby and a red firefish. A little while after they were put into the tank I decided to do a small partial and vaccum up some of detris(SP). I got destracted and left the hood open and walked away. When I came back the firefish was missing.........knowing that they are jumpers I asumed that it had jumped out and I looked all over for it. With no luck I decided to go get another one. When I came back I found the other firefish.........and I only want one and petco wont take it back........


luckily they seem to have adjusted well but are hidding due to it being late and only my make shift moon light is on(this is just the mini compact florecent thats on my filter for the macroalgea which also illuminates the tank just a bit).

tomorrow Im gonna call up the lfs where I got my inverts and see if hell give me some store credit for it to get another hermit, nassarius snail and atraea snail.

 

[Mr Miagi]

If what you did purchase on the 6th of November, a gorgonian, did you read what the site you linked to said about them?

"The Red Finger Gorgonian is peaceful, but it should be given adequate space away from neighboring corals or anemones. Underwater epoxy is commonly used to anchor its base to a piece of live rock in the reef aquarium. It is difficult to maintain even in the well-established reef system. It is not photosynthetic and requires a low level of lighting to ward off a build-up of microalgae. It also requires a stronger water flow and the addition of iodine, calcium, strontium, and other trace elements to the water.

Since it is not photosynthetic, its survival is dependent on regular and frequent feedings of micro-plankton, live, baby brine shrimp, or foods designed for filter feeding invertebrates."

Im not sure if you do that or not (feed it directly) so just lettin you know! Great thread though. Water stats look good! Pitty no pics though!

Edit: Put in the Italics so easier to read.